Colours
by Burning-Toast
Summary: 5 years into the future, Angel Investigations have settled into the usual ups and downs of helping the hopeless. However, the sudden reappearance of some familiar faces turn their world upside down once again and learn not to judge someone until the have
1. Chapter 1

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Just borrowing them…

Summary: 5 years into the future (after season 4), Angel Investigations have settled into the Wolfram and Hart building and the usual ups and downs of helping the hopeless. However, the sudden reappearance of some familiar faces turn their world upside down once again and learn not to judge someone until they have seen their true colours.

****

Chapter 1

It was eight o'clock on a cold winter morning and the Wolfram and Hart building in the City of Angels began another day of demon fighting and mystery solving. Angel emerged from entrance to the sewers and started towards his office, greeted by smiles and 'morning Mr. Angel's. Upon entering his office, he noticed a note on the floor. He picked it up and unfolded it. On it, was a messily scrawled message:

Angel,

Need your help. I have a friend who refuses to see you. She needs help desperately. 

Meet me outside the Wolfram and Hart building at 7:30.

An old friend.

Angel looked at the note, bemused.

"What's that?" Cordy walked in with large pile of folders under her arm.

"A note." Angel handed the note over, "From and old friend apparently."

"Huh." Cordy handed that note back along with the folders.

"All new cases?" Angel looked down wearily.

"Yup."

"Good luck." Cordy smiled and left.

Angel set the folders down on his desk with a sign. This was going to be one heck of a day.

*~*

Angel stepped out of the Wolfram and Hart building and looked around for his 'old friend'. He checked his watch. It was 7:26.

"Angel." A familiar Irish accent sounded behind him.

Angel turned around. "Doyle?"

*~*

Doyle sat down nervously in the kitchen of the old mansion. Angel handed him a cup of coffee and sat down opposite him.

"So… New place, huh?" Doyle nodded slowly. "Nice."

"Yeah. It was pretty run down when we got it. We had it refurbished and repainted." Angel looked down at his mug of blood.

There was an awkward silence that followed.

"So… How, exactly did you get back?"

"Er… Not entirely sure myself." Doyle took a gulp of his coffee, "I just sort of appeared."

"Right… And your friend?"

"S-. She's in a bad way. She's just not getting it into her head that she's alive. Again. And why she's alive. I think she's going mad."

"What do you mean, again?"

"Had a second chance. I think she's on her third now."

"OK…" Angel inhaled deeply.

"And er… She's refusing to come see you."

"Why?"

Doyle cleared his throat and shifted nervously in his seat. "I'm not sure I should say."

"Why?"

"She can be very vicious you know. Nearly knocked me trying to get away."

"I'm don't get it." Angel frowned.

"She… well let's just say she has some history. Bad history."

"What's that got to do with me?"

"A lot." Doyle looked at his friend, "Can't you smell her?"

"Lost me."

Doyle banged his head on the wooden table. "Think about it! It's obvi-."

The front door slammed shut.

"Cordy's back." Angel stood up.

Doyle paled considerably. "Cordelia lives here?"

"Yup. With everyone else."

"Hey! I'm back and I'm really hungry. Take away anyone?" Cordy's voice floated through to the kitchen.

"What am I gonna do?"

Angel shrugged. "Just stay here. She'll find out sooner or later."

"I'd rather she found out later." Doyle made a break for the door.

*~*

"So let me get this straight." Cordy sat down next to Angel, "You're back. You're alive. This isn't a dream-."

"You dream about me?" Doyle asked hopefully.

"I'm _not _hallucinating. I'm not on drugs, I'm not drunk. So…" Cordy paused. "So… why the hell did you not call earlier?"

"I was afraid you might not like me any more." Doyle fidgeted.

"That is such a lame excuse." Cordy rolled her eyes. _That's a lie! He is soooooo cute! _

"I know."

Cordy grinned broadly. "At least we're still your friends."

"Yeah." Doyle grinned back.

"Now about your friend" Angel interrupted.

"Ah, yeah. Well… she's sleeping it rough. Very thin. Probably hasn't eaten in… days?" Doyle shrugged. "I don't know."

"But this isn't a supernatural problem?" Cordy asked.

"Nope." Doyle sighed. "Do you have anything to eat? I'm starving."

*~*

"This is it huh?" Angel stood at the entrance of the small alleyway.

"She should be in there." Doyle led the way down. "Can you smell anything?"

Angel stopped. "It can't be her."

"You bastard!" A dark figure dashed out from a shadowy corner. "You promised me you wouldn't tell."

Doyle was pushed back as the figure ran towards the street outside.

"Darla! Wait!" Angel yelled.

*~*

Angel sprinted and followed her. He caught up with is former love at the end of the street. She fought to get away as Angel wrapped his arms around her and held her to him.

"Let me go." Darla stopped struggling and collapsed against Angel's large form. "Let me go." Sobs shook her whole body.

Angel took off his long coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. Although she was very thin, Darla had a remarkable amount of strength.

"Let's get her back to the mansion." Angel nodded at Cordy and Doyle who had just caught up.

"I'll drive." Cordy offered, or rather, insisted.

"But it's my-."

Cordy coughed and looked pointedly at Darla.

"Oh right." Angel gently pulled Darla along to where they had parked the car.

*~*

"Eat this." Angel put a steaming bowl of tomato soup on the table in front of her.

"I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat something. You're skin and bone."

"I said I'm not hungry." Darla muttered through clenched teeth.

Angel sighed and picked up a spoon. He dipped it into the soup and blew on it to cool it down.

"Eat." He placed the spoon at her lips.

Darla shut her eyes and opened her mouth. Angel smiled with relief as she swallowed.

*~*

Doyle sat back in the squishy armchair and put his feet up on the footstool. "Ah, this is the life."

Cordy laughed and switched on the T.V. as credits rolled across the screen . "No! I missed Passions!"

Doyle chuckled and spilled some of his hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course!).

Cordy pouted and flickered through the different channels.

The front door opened and shut. Connor walked into the lounge. 

"Hey, who's this guy?" He nodded towards Doyle.

"Doyle. He's an old friend of ours. Doyle, this is Connor, Angel and Darla's son."

Doyle spat a mouthful of hot chocolate. "Son?!?!"

"Oh, yeah. Long story."

"Doesn't that mean they slept together?" Doyle's eyes widened.

"Duh? Do you need a class on conception?" Cordy rolled her eyes.

"Did he lose his soul?"

"No. Had and epiphany."

"Oh good." Doyle sat back.

"I've been pregnant too you know."

"You what?"

"I'm gonna go upstairs." Connor ran up the stairs and out of sight.

"Whose was it?"

"Connor's… but that was because I lost my memory after I 'ascended'. Then I gave birth to a hell spawn which put me in a coma for a year and a half and ate people."

Doyle's mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Do you want me to go through that again?"

*~*

"So much has happened." Darla sighed as Angel tucked her in tightly. "Not so tight, I can't breath."

"Sorry." Angel untucked her a little. "You're OK with everything I've told you right?"

Darla nodded. "I think so."

"Right. Well, if you need me, just yell." Angel stood up and opened the door.

"Sure."

Angel nodded and closed the door behind him. He found himself face to face with his son.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Er…"

"Dad."

Angel closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "Wait here." Angel entered the room again.

Darla sat up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… Connor wants to see you."

"Does he know who I am?"

"I don't think so."

Darla bit her lip. "Let him in."

To be continued…

A/N: Whaddya think of the first chappie? All feedback is appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Just borrowing them…

Summary: 5 years into the future (after season 4), Angel Investigations have settled into the Wolfram and Hart building and the usual ups and downs of helping the hopeless. However, the sudden reappearance of some familiar faces turn their world upside down once again and learn not to judge someone until they have seen their true colours.

**Chapter 2**

Connor sat by his mother's bed.

"I know it's shock, baby." Darla whispered soothingly.

Connor nodded and smiled a little. "I'll get over it. I just… I can't believe you're really here."

Angel hovered awkwardly behind Connor. "I think we should let her get some rest."

Connor stood up reluctantly. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Connor." Darla sighed as Angel and Connor left the room.

*~*

Angel entered the lounge to find a very wide-eyed Doyle sitting motionless on one couch and an annoyed looking Cordy sitting on another.

"Is something wrong?" Angel ventured to ask.

Doyle didn't move.

"He's 'in shock'." Cordy replied.

Angel nodded slowly. "Right… so you filled him in on everything then?"

"Yup."

Angel stepped in front of Doyle. "Should I get him some water? He looks a bit…"

"Off? Yeah. He's been like that for a while now. Don't worry, he'll snap out of it."

"Right." Angel nodded.

"So… where's Darla?"

"Sleeping. Uh, Connor knows."

Cordy sat up. "What did he say?"

"Not much. He's just a bit shocked."

"Understandably." Cordy turned her attention back to the T.V. "So now what? What do we do from here?"

"I'm not sure." Angel sat down next to Cordy. "We'll just have to see."

*~*

"It's open." A voice replied from inside the office.

Angel opened the door and stepped in. "I need to talk to you."

"What about?" The man behind the desk asked.

"Darla."

"What about her?" The man looked down.

"She's back."

"Again?"

"Again." Angel confirmed. "I just thought you'd like to know. Since you…"

"I know. How is she?"

"OK. A bit tired. Starved…."

"Starved?"

"She wasn't liking the idea of being back."

"So she's not a vampire then?"

"No. She's human." Angel frowned with concern. "Are you OK?"

The man didn't answer.

"Lindsey?"

Lindsey breathed in deeply. "I'm fine… can I see her?"

"Yeah. But later. She's still… fragile."

Lindsey nodded understandingly. "Could you tell her I… I said get well soon?"

"Sure." Angel sighed uncertainly and left the room. _Was it a good idea telling him? He'd find out anyway… It was only fair… Right?_

*~*

Darla picked up her glass and took a small sip from it. She heard the front door open and close.

Angel walked in behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "How are you feeling?"

"Not bad." Darla sighed. "You don't need to keep tabs on me you know. I won't be going anywhere."

"I know. I just want to look after you."

Darla laughed softly.

"Um… I talked to Lindsey."

"He's here?" Darla's eyes widened.

"Yeah. He's back. He says get well soon."

"OK." Darla nodded and sat back in her chair.

"He wants to see you."

Darla didn't answer.

"Darla?"

"Sure, that's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah… Just… not right now."

"OK." Angel sat down in a chair opposite her. "You look tired. Did you get any sleep?"

"Not really. I just… I couldn't."

Angel sighed heavily.

"Stop worrying."

"I'm not." Angel insisted.

"Yes you are. I can tell." Darla smiled. "150 years, Angel. I think I'd know."

Angel chuckled. "Yeah."

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Anything."

"Will… will you hold me tonight?"

Angel swallowed. "I… have to work."

Darla looked down at the table. "Oh… That's OK."

"Tomorrow." Angel promised.

Darla nodded and smiled at him awkwardly. "Thanks."

*~*

Lindsey shifted a large pile of paper from his desk into the waste paper basket on the floor at his feet. Fighting evil has its ups and downs. Up is that you get a certain satisfaction from it, knowing that you may have saved a life or two. The down is that you have very little time left for anything else. Playing the guitar is one thing he isn't able to do as much as he did before. He often thought about why he had come back. After all, he had promised himself never to return again. But Wolfram and Hart now had a new purpose: save those that need saving and fight whatever evil is thrown in their way. Now he has a purpose too… right?

"Stupid thing." Lindsey growled as a bundle of paper refused to fit in the tiny basket.

"Ah, Mr. McDonald." A teasing voice laughed.

Lindsey looked up to find the apparition of Lilah Morgan standing in front of his desk.

"Lilah." He greeted. "How's hell treating you?"

Lilah laughed. "Not bad. Food's better than it was here."

Lindsey laughed with her. "So… what brings you up to the land of the living then?"

"Can't I just visit my favourite lawyer?" Lilah smirked.

"What's the reason?"

"Hell got boring. I might just…" She wandered over to the squishy armchair that stood in one corner of Lindsey's office. "Stick around for a while." She dropped into the armchair and looked over.

Lindsey shrugged and stood up. "Well, make yourself comfortable. I'm going home."

Lilah watched as Lindsey tugged the door shut behind him. "Someone's unsociable…"

*~*

Doyle frowned as he shifted through a large file. "Are you sure this is the guy?"

Cordy sighed loudly. "Yes, I'm sure."

"He's a gardener."

"So?"

"Gardeners can't do stuff like that."

"Why not?"

"They're… they're nice. And friendly. You know I meet a gardener once…"

"He deals in drugs and other _poisonous _magical substances." Cordy cut in and gave him a 'duh' look.

"When do we go and kill him?"

"We're not going to kill him. We're going find out where he keeps his stash of… stuff."

"You know, it was a lot easier in the old days. When we'd just kill anything evil."

Cordy rolled her eyes. "This isn't the old days."

"I know. Things have changed. It's different world now. Blah, blah, blah."

"Yeah… Just without the blah bit. We do things differently. We have the facilities, so we use them."

"Right. Like your high tech labs and super clever computers that find stuff without you even being there."

"We use those properly."

"Really?" Doyle eyed her suspiciously.

"OK. So _maybe_ I've used them to my advantage. Just once or twice. So what?"

"Once or twice? And to do what?"

"To catch the post-Christmas sales."

Doyle laughed and shook his head. "Right."

"What? Its only once a year."

"How many times did you say…?"

*~*

Angel pulled his broad sword from its place in the cabinet. Another night of killing and saving peoples lives. Redemption can be a drag sometimes. Still, it brings him a tiny step closer to his goal. That's what matters… right?

Maybe there's more to life then redemption. Like… having fun, partying… love?

Angel shook his head. Now is not the time to be thinking about that.

"Alright! Let's go."

Angel turned around to see Doyle standing with a tiny stake and an axe. "What?"

"Let's go. Save some people and all that."

"I thought you were going to do some research with Cordy." Angel started to make his way out.

"I was. Let's just say it was a… difference in opinion."

"You had an argument, didn't you?"

Doyle shrugged his shoulders. "I'd call it a slight disagreement."

"Did she throw you out?"

"Oh yeah. Nearly called security."

Angel chuckled.

"C'mon! We're wasting time!" Doyle pretended to do some kung-fu moves… but failed hopelessly.

"I'm going alone."

"Say what?"

"I'm going a-."

A piercing scream from upstairs made Angel stop.

"Darla…" Angel charged up the stair with Doyle close on his heels. He reached the landing and pushed open the first door on the left.

To Be Continued…


End file.
